1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to louvered shutter assemblies. More particularly, the invention relates to an adjustable framed shutter assembly having an electric motor attached to one of a plurality of slats whereby the plurality of slats may be rotated to open and close the shutter assembly.
2. Relevant Technology
Adjustable blinds or shutters have been used for generations in windows or other structural openings to selectively allow or prevent passage of air or light therethrough. A typical shutter includes a number of substantially parallel slats that may be rotated about their longitudinal axes. The angle of inclination of the slats may be selected such that the shutter is in a closed position wherein a minimum amount of light and air is permitted to pass through, an open position wherein a maximum amount of light and air is permitted to pass through, or any intermediate position therebetween.
There are at least two types of conventional shutters. First, framed shutters have slats rotatably attached at both ends to a frame. Generally, a rigid member, such as a control bar, is pivotally attached to each of the slats to cause the slats to rotate in unison. In framed shutters, the frame supports the slats and prevents movement thereof except for rotation about the longitudinal axes. Framed shutters commonly have slats with either horizontal or vertical axes of rotation.
Second, suspended blinds are characterized by two or more flexible members, such as cords or ladder assemblies, by which the slats are suspended or supported. The slats of suspended blinds are rotated by manipulating the flexible members, which in turn cause coordinated rotation of the slats. Slats of suspended blinds generally have only horizontal axes of rotation.
In many situations, it is desirable to provide adjustable shutters that may be opened and closed in ways other than through direct manipulation by a user. This is particularly true when shutter assemblies are especially large or in locations that are not easily accessible, or are present in such number that manually adjusting each of them would be cumbersome. In these and other cases, it would be useful to have shutters that could be adjusted automatically. In particular, there has been a general trend in recent years of providing "smart homes" in which various fixtures and appliances in houses are automated. Automatic shutter assemblies would increase the comfort and convenience of the surroundings in a house, and may even conserve energy and reduce heating and cooling expenses by optimizing the amount of solar radiation entering the house.
The problem of providing automated shutter assemblies has been approached in several ways. One example is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,762 to Anderson wherein an electric motor is positioned to rotate the slats of a sun blind for motor vehicles. The type of shutters that are modified in Anderson are suspended shutters as described herein. In particular, the electric motor is attached to one of two flexible ladder assemblies that support the slats. An event such as ignition of the vehicle triggers activation of the electric motor which adjusts the position of the ladder assembly. Movement of the ladder assembly causes synchronized rotation of the slats.
Another system for rotating slats of suspended shutters is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,532,560 to Element et al. In Element et al. an electric motor is used to adjust the cords from which the slats are suspended. Movement of the cords in turn causes the slats to rotate in unison. The electric motor of Element et al. is activated, for example, by a photosensitive sensor in response to a predetermined amount of light. Like Anderson, Element et al. presents an approach to the problem of automating the opening and closing of suspended shutters. Both Anderson and Element et al. disclose systems for manipulating or displacing the flexible members that support the slats of suspended shutters. Although Anderson and Element et al. each provide a system that is generally suitable for automating suspended shutters, their approaches are simply not applicable to framed shutters. Framed shutters generally do not include flexible members such as cords or rung assemblies that are required in Anderson and Element et al.
There have also been attempts directed specifically to automatically adjusting framed shutters. An example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,177,367 to Brown. In particular, Brown discloses an electric motor that causes linear movement of an elongated rack. The rack is attached to a control rod which is pivotally connected to each of the slats. Upon activation of the electric motor, the rack and the control rod move vertically, thereby causing synchronized rotation of the slats. In effect, Brown provides the movable rack as the functional equivalent of a hand of a person manually adjusting the shutters. The movable rack is positioned in front of the shutters so as to access the control bar.
Several problems with Brown are readily apparent. First, the motor and rack assembly must be positioned in front of the shutters, and consequently, directly in front of any window in which the shutters are used. Any benefits of convenience gained by using Brown will probably be outweighed by the prominent and unsightly positioning of the motor. Additionally, it will be understood that with any of the foregoing approaches, the motor that adjusts the shutters must be connected not only to the shutter assembly, but also to a fixed reference point. In the case of Brown, the motor cannot simply be attached to the control rod, but there must be some support frame or truss that connects the motor to a fixed point on a nearby wall. The combination of a support frame and the unaesthetic positioning of the motor would limit Brown's acceptance in applications where appearance is important, especially in the domestic environment.
The foregoing systems of the prior art for automating the adjustment of shutters fall short of providing a suitable system that may be used for framed shutters. The prior art systems are directed only to suspended shutters or employ an automated adjustment system that significantly detracts from the function and appearance of the shutters.
In view of the foregoing, it would be a significant advancement in the art to provide a framed shutter assembly having an actuating assembly that is substantially disposed within the frame of the shutter assembly such that the actuating assembly is substantially hidden from view.
It would also be desirable to provide a system that can selectively, smoothly, and uniformly move slats to any of a number of possible angles of inclination.
Additionally, it would be desirable in many instances to have a system in which movement of multiple framed shutter assemblies may be coordinated.
There is also a need for a framed shutter assembly that may be automatically adjusted in response to one or more of a wide variety of user actions or external events.
It would further be an improvement in the art if the actuating assembly was self contained module that could act to strengthen a shutter frame that has been structurally altered to house the actuating assembly module.
Further, it would be advantageous to provide an actuating assembly that was sized so that it could be universally used with differently sized shutters in order to obviate the need to radically change the design of the actuating assembly to fit a particular manufacturer's shutter design.
In addition, it would be an improvement in the art to provide an actuating assembly that is a self-contained module with a spindle configuration which together facilitate installation of the actuating assembly within the shutter at the time of manufacture of the shutter.
There is also a need for an actuating assembly that is able to ensure that all of the louvers of a shutter assembly can be substantially tightly closed notwithstanding the play that may exist between the different louvers or slats, particularly those that are farthest apart.
Such systems and apparatus for providing automated adjustment of a framed shutter assembly are disclosed and claimed herein.